Sanctions are raining down on Argentina this Friday. A month after Spain’s coronation at the 2026 World Cup at the end of the final against Argentina (1-0, ap), on July 19 in the suburbs of New York, Fifa revealed the sanctions given to the Albiceleste. The Fifa Disciplinary Committee set a total fine of US$321,000 for “use of a sporting event as a platform for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature”, “inappropriate behavior by a team”, “discrimination and racist incidents” and “order and security at matches”.
Argentina is also sentenced to two official matches (one of which is suspended) at home in front of a limited number of spectators (50%), most certainly for the start of the qualifiers for the next Copa América (the qualifiers have not yet been scheduled).
The behavior of the Argentine team and its supporters is therefore widely condemned. The players thus held a banner
“the Falkland Islands are Argentinian” after their victory against England in the semi-finals (2-1), Argentine spectators committed racist acts throughout the tournament and, at the final whistle of the lost final, Leandro Paredes made two gestures of unprecedented violence on the pitch against Eric Garcia and Gavi.
Paredes takes 10 matches
Paredes received a ten-match suspension and a $90,000 fine. At 32, the former PSG defensive midfielder is considering retirement and the FIFA sanction could permanently convince him to hang up his boots on an international level.
Argentinian right-back Nahuel Molina receives seven matches and the same fine, former OL midfielder Thiago Almada receives one match and $30,000, while assistant Roberto Ayala gets away with three matches and a $30,000 fine. On the Spanish side, Gavi is suspended for one match and fined $30,000. It’s not much because it was the La Roja midfielder who provoked the general altercation by hitting Leandro Paredes from behind.
